Jar and closure therefor.



No. 778,989. 'PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

R. H MQOOY. JAR AND CLOSURE THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14,1904.

PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

R. H. MOODY. JAR AND CLOSURE THEREFOR.

APPLIGKTION FILED ABBA/1,1904.

Z SHEETS-SHBET 2.

n L 7f ilNTTijn STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

HOLLAND MCCOY, OF MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS.

\JAR AND CLOSURE THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,989, dated January3, 1905.

Application filed April 14:, 1904- Serial No. 203,193.

To all w/wm/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOLLAND H. MoOoY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Monmouth, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Jars and ClosuresTherefor, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates more particularly to fastening devices forsecuring the covers or lids of jars or bottles to the necks thereof,first by a minor degree and finally by a maximum degree of pressure, andto provide these means constitutes the principal object of theinvention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the kindwherein all of the fastening devices are entirely beneath the uppersurface or top of the lid and out of the way for convenience andfacility in packing or shipping.

A further objectis to provide a jar and fas-i tening by the use of whichthe process known as cold canningor vacuum processing may besuccessfully accomplished.

A still further object is to provide aspringfastener which may bereadily, quickly, and easily applied to or detached from the jar withoutdanger of injury to the hand of the operator and without tools.

Other objects of my invention consist in novel structural features andcombinations of devices, the operation of which devices separately andin combination will be found hereinafter fully described, and the novelcombinations of which devices are pointed out in the claims heretoappended.

Mechanism showing the arrangement, connection, and mutual relationshipof the parts forming the subject-matter of my improvements isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure l is a central sectional view of oneform of my invention, parts of the jar broken away; Fig. 2, a similarand preferred view of the device; Fig. 3, a top plan of the construction shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4:, a top plan of the construction-shownin Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a plan of the lever; Fig. 6, a section of the loop ofthe fastener in its drawn or taut position; Fig. 7, a top plan, partlybroken away, of the lid, showing grooves therein; Figs. 8 and 9,modifications of the lever; Fig. 10, a plan, seen from below, ofaspanner; Fig. 11, a side elevation of the spanner; Fig. 12, amodification ofthe lever; Fig. 13, a plan view of the same, and Fig. 14another modification of the lever.

Referring to the drawings by letters, the same letter indicating thesame part in the different figures thereof, A represents a jar or bottlewhich is preferably formed at its upper part with a broad neck having ashoulder (0. The upper face of the neck of the jar forms a seat for arubber packing-ring or gasket (0.

B is the lid or cover, provided with a raised central part or button I),having notches or defiles b in its upper face and preferablyintersecting each other at right angles, as shown best'at Fig. 7. Thelid shown at Fig. 1 has an upwardly-extended annular portion B, aninclined bearing or face B a peripheral flange B a concave portion B andan annular depending flange B which projects into the neck of thebottle.

0 is a lever formed from metal and has a handle 0, an enlarged part c, asubstantially and in the sides of the slot are niches 0 D represents atransverse metal fastener, preferably of spring-wire, and may be of anydesired form in its cross-section. It is bent at or near its mid-lengthto form a depending loop D, the vertical sides D of which are paralleland the points D of which are spaced a distance apart. Its outerportions or arms are bent at the points D more or less at right anglesto the vertical wires D" of the loop D, approximately horizontally andoutwardly to a point d, thence downwardly at an angle to a point d,thence approximately horizontally to a point (5 thence downwardly to apoint (Z and thence inwardly to its ends 0?.

E F are plates of metal, each having a slot 0 niches 0", and eyes 0,which eyes are engaged by studs it on a spannerH of ordinaryconstruction. These last-named parts are modified forms of the lever C,have the same functions, and their operations will be apparellipticalaperture or slot a centrally thereof,

' beneath the shoulder a.

ent when the operation of the lever is understood. In some forms ofplates which may be used with my improvements the eyes are omitted, anda wrench or any other suitable device may be used to give an entire oronly a partial revolution to the plates, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

The construction at Fig. 2 illustrates a lid identical with theconstruction shown at Fig.

1, except that the inclined plane face B of the latter is a straight,convex,or concave face 13 in the former and that notches G are cut inthe face of the portion B and that in Fig. 2 concentric beads a areshown on the lower face of the flange B The spring-fastener shown insaid figure is also very similar to the one shown in Fig. 1. In theformer the loop is formed and the wires bent outwardly as in the latter,thence downwardly and outwardly at an angle, thence downwardly, andthence inwardly to its ends. The last inward bend of the wire in eithercase lies in a plane approximately parallel with the transverse armsthereof, which extend outwardly from the points D of the loop. It willbe apparent that in the construction shown at Fig. 2 the transverse armsD lie wholly within the notches G and beneath the upper surface of thelid, thus serving a useful purpose in shipping, crating, packing, &c.The lids or covers shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may either or both havegrooves or defiles Gr intersecting or dividing the upwardly-extendingannular shoulder B for a purpose hereinafter described.

So far as known to me no device heretofore employed has been successfulwhen the process known as cold canning or vacuum processing has beenused. While the use of the present invention makes an absolute successin preserving the article or compound when said process is used, it isnevertheless equally eflicient in canning hot articles or materials,whether fruits, meats, soups, vegetables, or other commodities.

In cold canning or vacuum processing (the present invention being used)the article to be conserved or preserved is placed in the jar A, eitherin a cooked or uncooked condition, but cool or cold. The lid B is thenput in place, with the packing-ring a interposed between the flange Band the upper face of the neck of the jar or bottle. The fastener D isthen forcibly sprung into the position shown by full lines at Figs. 1and 2, with the lower portions of the loop D resting in the grooves Z)in the button 6 on the lid B to prevent the loop turning or twisting thehorizontal portions thereof, as shown at Fig. 1, a slight distance abovethe member B the points cl on the beveled face B and the ends 0Z restingThe force required to spring the fastener into the above-describedposition will exert a mean degree of pressure on the packing-ringsufficient, in fact, for ordinary purposes, but not sufficient topreelude air or gases entering into or escaping from the jar when underatmospheric pressure, but at the same time causing an atmospheric sealto be produced, as will be described hereinafter in connection with thedescription of the process as known as hot canning. The jars andcontents are then placed in an exhaust-retort and the air exhausted fromthe package. After the air has been exhausted as last described and thepackage removed from the exhaust-retort the atmospheric pressure on thelid and the springpressure of the fastener on the packing-ring will forma seal which, were it not for the fact that it might be easily disturbedby slightly displacing the lid, would suflice for ordinary canning; butit is then desirable, if not absolutely necessary, to exert anadditional pressure or force onthe lid without. turning it anddisturbing the seal, and this I accomplish as follows: The lever C beingin the position shown by full lines, with the vertical parts D of theloop D resting in the ends of the elliptical slot 0 and the horizontalportion of the loop resting in one of the grooves b in the button tokeep it from turning or twisting, the lever is given a partial (it mightbean entire) revolution in either direction, as indicated by dot-linesat Fig. 3, which operation, because of the slot having a greaterlongitudinal than latitudinal or transverse diameter, will draw thepoints D of the loop closer together, and thus shorten the fastener D,as shown at Fig. 6 and by dot-lines at Figs. 1 and 2. The member D ofthe loop will, by reason of it being confined within the notches 6',remain stationary, and the depending wires D will be engaged by theniches 0 and the lever and wires be automatically locked thereby in theposition shown by dot lines at Fig. 3.

The operation above described will not only exert a very great downwardforce upon the central part or button of the lid through the medium ofthe loop D, but the points CZ of the transverse arms, Fig. 1, will bedrawn upwardly into a higher position on the inclined bearing B and thusexert an equal and maxi mum downward force on the outer parts of thelid, thus hermetically sealing the parts and precluding any possibilityof air entering the jar. It will be observed that this direct downwardpressure on both the center and the outer part of the lid augments andpreserves the atmospheric seal.

In the construction shown at Fig. 2 the extended and inclined arms K ofthe fastener when the points D thereof are drawn toward each other willslide upwardly over the bearings 1/ formed by the bottom of the notchesG in the shoulder B, and the effect or result will be the same asillustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and as hereinbefore described.

In the process known as hot canning the article to be canned may beplaced in the jar and both raised to a higher degree of grooves Z) inthe button 5.

temperature or the article may be placed in the jar in a heatedcondition and the jar cold. In either of said cases the lid and gasketare first put in place and the fastener sprung into its first position,thus exerting one degree of pressure. As the jar and contents cool thecontained air becomes rarefied, and because of this rarefied conditionthe pressure of the external air produces an atmospheric seal. After thejar and contents are cooled it is desirable, if not indispensable, toexert a further and greater pressure, and this is accomplished by theoperation hereinbefore described of drawing the proximal points D of theloop closer to each other and exerting a direct pressure downwardly andwithout disturbing the atmospheric seal. Returning the lever to itsfirst position will relieve the spring from tension and permit the partsto be'instantly separated from each other and the cover to be removedfrom the jar for access to the contents.

In the modifications at Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown two forms of plateswhich may be used instead of the lever (J. The studs 72 it on thespanner H are engaged with the eyes 0 in the plates E F, and said platesare rotated in the same manner and for the same purpose as is the lever.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a bent lever for use on very small packages andat Fig. 14 a double-ended lever of the first order.

I desire it understood that I do not limit my claims to the method shownof securing the ends of the fastener to the jar. Recesses may beprovided on diametrically opposite sides of the jar or the neck thereof,into which said ends may be sprung, or they may-be secured to the jar inany desired or preferred manner. Other forms of plates and levers thanwhat shown may be used if desired, the essential feature of this part ofmy invention being the slot and the niches c therein.

It is desirable in devices of this character that the fastening andlocking parts lie in positions where they are not liable to accidentaldisplacement. It is also very desirable 'in shipping, crating, ordisplaying the packages that they occupy as little space as possible andthat the jars may be packed with their tops confronting or, again, withthe top of one resting on the bottom of another. To these ends I haveprovided a lid constructed as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the face B isintersected by notches or grooves G on diametrically opposite sidesthereof, and which grooves may be of any desired number, but it isessential that they register with the So constructed, each and everypart of my fastening device lies beneath the upper surface of the lid,not only out of danger of becoming displaced or loosened, but the jarsmay be packed closely together in any desired manner without danger ofbreaking.

The advantages of the invention will be apparent and the operation willbe understood from the foregoing description, it being particularlynoted that various changes may be made in the details of constructionwithout departing materially from the general idea involved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In a device of the characterdescribed, a jar, a cover therefor, a spring-clamp having its endsengaged with the neck of the jar and its mid-length portion bent to forma depending loop which rests on the upper surface of the cover, theupper portions of said loop being normally spaced apart, a lever havingan elliptical slot therein and having niches at the minor diameter ofsaid slot, the depending wires of said loop passing through and engagedby said slot, and said lever adapted to be turned to bring the upperportions of the loop into close proximity to each other and the nichesinto locking engagement with the depending wires, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the character described, and in combination, a jarhaving a shoulder on the neck thereof, a lid having anupwardlyprojecting central portion, and having notches in said portiontransversely thereof, an upwardly extended annular portion, havingnotches registering with the notches in said central portion, a springfastener having transverse arms, its mid-length portion bent to form adepending loop, the lower part of which rests in the notches in thecentral part of the lid, the transverse arms thereof seated in bearingsformed by the notches in the annular portion and the ends thereofengaging the shoulder on the neck of the jar, all of the fastening partsbeneath the upper surface of the cover, substantially as described andfor the purpose specified.

3. In combination, a jarhaving an annular shoulder about its neck, acover therefor having a button projecting upwardly from its centralpart, and having grooves in the upper face thereof, an annular concavedportion surrounding the button, an upwardly-extended shoulder encirclingsaid'portion, said shoulder having lateral grooves therein registeringwith the grooves in the button, and a pcripheral flange adapted to beseated on the shoulder on the jar, with a transverse springclamp theends of which engage a part of the jar, said clamp having transversearms sliding on a bearing formed by the bottoms of the notches in theshoulder, and having a depending loop at its mid-length, the horizontalportion of which rests in the grooves in the button, a slotted leverhaving niches at the minor diameter of the slot, the depending .looppassing through said slot, and'the lever adapted to be revolved to bringthe upper portions of the loop into closer relation to each other, andthe niches adapted to hold them in said position, substantially asdescribed.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a jar, a spring-fastenercomprising members adapted for engagement with a part of the jar,transverse members, inclined members, and a depending loop at itsmid-length, a lid having a button projecting upwardly centrally thereof,and having a groove in the face of said button, in which groove thedepending loop rests, an annular shoulder B exterior to the button, anda concaved portion between them, said shoulder having groovesintersecting it, registering with the grooves in the button and formingbearings on which the inclined arms or members slide, and means fordrawing parts of the depending loop into closer relation to each other,thereby con- & 778,989

as described.

HOLLAND H. MCCOY. Witnesses:

L. M. RICHARDS, O. M. S. RICHARDS.

